Audible signal for determining the temperatures of sea-water.



A. MGNAB. AUDIBLE SIGNAL FOR DETERMINING THE TEMPERATURES 0F SEA WATER. APPLICATION mum APR.25,1912v 1,062,292. Patented May 20, 1913.

2 SHEETFSHEET 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR cfcimmg afwmnder 77? 7105 ATTORNY V A. McNAB. AUDIBLE SIGNAL FOR DETERMINING THE TEMPERATURES OE SEA WATER APPQIOATION FILED APR. 25, 1012.

1,062,292. Patented May 20, 1913.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2 v, VY Y l 2/ 33. M X $3 .153 VM// ////3' WITNESSES:

so the manner in which my improvement is m- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER MONAB, OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCNAB COM- PAINT, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

AUDIBLE SIGNAL FOR DETERMINING THE TEMPERATURES OF SEA-WATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20,1913;

Application filed April 25, i912. Serial No. 693,211.

tain new and useful Improvements in Audible Signals for Determining the Tempera- -tures of Sea-Water; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improve ments lnaudible signals for determining the temperatures of sea water, and has for its object to provide a simple and efi'ective device of this description, and withthis end in view my invention consists in oer tain'details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims which sectional elevation ofthe' t ermal chamber. .Fig. 3 a plan view ofsuch chamber withth'e conclude this description. v

In the accompanying drawing Figure l re resents a cross section of a sh1p. equipped with my improvement. -Fi 2 is a vertical upper wall thereofpartly sectioned away, andFig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating stalled.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.-

1 is a U-shaped tube of 2, 3, extend verticall an spectively in enlar e hermetically sealed bulbs 4,. 5. This tu is partly filled at the glass whose legs .lower portion with mercury denoted by the numeral 6, the le 2 above the mercury column .and its bu b 4 being filled with a liquid that is a non-conductor'of electricity, such as creosote, denoted by the numeral 7,

'wliile the leg 3.above the mercury column is filled with creosote, denoted by the numeral 8, which only partway fills the bulb 5 toprovide room for the expansion of the liquids. Extending within the leg 2 to the interior thereof are Spaced platinum points 9 which are electricall and separately connected to in sulated space contacts 10. by means-of wires 11: 12bis-af1 insulated pivoted switch lever which may be moved against any one of thesecontacts 10. i i, 1 v.

1 3 is a-platinum point which extends withtermlnate re in the tube 1 at the bottom to the interior thereof, and this point it therefore always in contact with the mercury in said tube.

14 represents a battery one pole of which i is connected to the platinum point 13 While the other pole is connected to one terminal of an electric bell-15 the other terminal of said bell being connected to the lever 12.

The contacts 10 are preferably arranged on a block 16 of insulating material and each contact is denoted by a degree of temperature, the contact denoting the highest temperature being connected with the lowermost of the platinum points 9, while the contact denoting the lowest temperature is connected with the highest platinum point 9.

The U-tube, containing mercury and creosote as described, constitutes a thermometer, since the creosote will contract at low temperatures and will expand at warm high temperatures, and any contraction ofthe creosote within the-leg 2 and .bulb 7 will cause the column-0f creosote in said leg' to shorten whereupon the mercury in said leg will rise and will come into contact with one or more of the higher platinum points 9.

The operationof my improvement is as follows: Presupposing the lever 12 to be,

on the contact which is marked sit-36 there'- -will be no alarm from the bell because the column of mercury in the. leg 2 is not in contact with the platinum point that is connected to said contact, but should saidlever be'shifted to the contact marked 39-the.

circuit .will' be closed and the alarm will sound because the mercury'insaid leg isin contact with the platinum point that is con- I nected tothis last mentioned contact.

Should a vessel be approaching a region whe re-icebergs abound, the temperature of the sea -water will become lower, and it therefore becomes quite necessary that the otficer in charge of a ship should be advised as to such temperature. the lever 12 to one of the contact points, for

instance, the one marked 42, and the alarm' does not sound,this will indicate that there is-no particular danger since the temperature of the water is not alarmingly low, but should the alarm sound with the lever on said contact,-and should it continue to sound when If the oflicer shifts the lever'was placed. successively against the contacts marked- 39] and 36, the. oflicer would be advised that precautions should be taken againsticebergs, and should thealarm fio partments l9,

continue to sound when the leverwas shifted against the contact marked 33, he" would lrnow that he was in the near presence of ice and he would takeprecautionsaccordingly;

By constantly shifting the lever against various contacts the ship's captain or other otlicer may be constantly posted as to the temperature of the sea water, and therefore will have due warning of dangerous conditions brought aboutby'the presence of icebergs.

'I have shown a bloclclti provided with the contacts that provide for differences of only three degrees but of course it will be readily understood that the platinum points 9, as well as the contacts 10, may multiplied so as to give changes of temperature in degrees, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In order to place the tube 1 where it will be highly sensitive to changes in the tempera ture of the sea water, I provide a' chamber 17 whlchis preferably secured to one side of the ship at a suitable distancebelgw the sea level, represented by the numeral 18, this chamber being divided into two com- 20, by means'of a thin partition of metal 21, such as copper. One of these compartment-s 19 is larger than the other and always contains circulating sea water, the-bottom of said compartment having a pipe 22 extending therefrom and opening outside the. vcssel directly into the sea, this outsideportion of the pipe extending toward'the bow of the ship so that as the ship travels the water-will be forced through this pipe 'into the chamber 17, the upper partof said'chamber-being provided with epipe '23 which merely extends through the v sensitive and will side of the vessel and preferably points toward-the stern. of outlet for the water in sa-idfchaniber as itis forced theretl'u-ough during the movement of the ship. a

The U-tube is within the compartment 20 and since the partition '21 is exceedingly thin and isamost excellentconductor of heat, the contents of the tube will be very quickly respond to changes of te'mpcrature. 7

' In order that the compartment 20 may not be affected by outside temperature all being closed the external walls are made thick and conwin any suitable material that isa non-conductor of heat andcold, this'colnpartment by a saitablecover 2d. that is fastened down securely by any ordinar 1 'vice 25.

Various alarms may be installed in circuit throughout the ship, such as the captains room,-"*the chart room, the bridge, pilot house, Sac, so that if the lever 12 is againstbe given in various portions of the ship,

the ship, and serves as the a series of Of course it will be understood that creosote is a non-conductorof electricity, and therefore it will not close a circuit by com} ing in contact with one of the platinum points.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure ;by Letters Patent is I 1. A device of the character described, comprising a closed chamber secured within a ship at a location below the surface of the sea and divided into twocompartments by a thin partition made of a substance that -1s a good conductor of heat, one compart ment havin inlet and outlet communications where y sea water is admitted and discharged, the other compartment having all its walls especially constructed whereby the interior .of said compartment will not be affected by external temperatures, a U- shaped' tube of glass secured within this lastmentioned compartment and having legs which are vertically disposed and'terminate in hermetically sealed large bulbs, said tube being partly filled with mercury, the leg and its bulb above one column of mercury being completely filled with creosote while the other leg and bulb are only partially filled with creosote, in combination with a series of spaced latinum points extending 5- within the comp etely filled leg to the interior thereof, insulated contacts, connections between saidpoints and said insulated contacts, an insulated switch lever adapted.

to be swung against said contacts, a battery, job a platinum point extending within' the bottom ofsaid tube in contact with the mercury and connected to one poleof said battery the other pole being connected to the switch. lever, and an electric alarm bell interposed. in the circuit between said lever and battery.

2 A device of the character described V comprising a closed chamber secured within a-ship; and divided into two compartments 10 'by a thin partition made of a substance that is a good conductor of heat, one compartment having inlet and outlet communications whereby sea water is admitted and discharged, a U-shaped tube of glass s'ecured ls within the other compartment and havin legs which are vertically disposed and terminate in hermetically sealed large bulbs, said tube being partly filled with mercurv, the

leg and its bulb above one column of'mev cury being completely tilted with creosote while the other leg and bulb are only partially filled with creosote, in combination with .space-d platinum points extending within the completely filled leg to the interior thereof, insulated contacts, connections between said points and'contacts, an insulated switch lever adapted to be swung against said contacts, a battery, a platinum point extending within the lower portion of said tube at a point below the first named platinum points and connected to one pole of said battery, the other pole of the battery being connected to the switch lever, and an electric signal interposed in the circuit between said lever and battery.

3. A water temperature annunciator comprising a receptacle, a heat conducting partition dividing the receptacle into compartments, means for admitting water to one of the compartments, means for discharging water therefrom, an expansible liquid thermometer in the other compartment, a plurality of electricity conducting points in the path of contractile movement of the liquid in th thermometer, an insulated support provided with contacts corresponding in number with the points, circuit connections between the points andcontacts, a manually operable switch carried by the support and adapted for selective engagement with the contacts, a battery, an alarm, and a circuit connection between the thermometer, battery, switch, and alarm.

4. A sea water temperature annunciator comprising a receptacle adapted to be carried by a ship and disposed below the plane of the surface of the sea, means for discharging sea water into the receptacle, means for discharging sea water therefrom, a thermometer in the receptacle, means for preventing the water contacting with the thermometer but )ermitting the temperature of the water to a ect the thermometer, a signal, an electric circuit including the therimometer and signal, a source of electrical energy in said circuit, and manually operable means for controlling the circuit.

A sea water temperature annunciator comprising a receptacle adapted to be carried by a ship and disposed in a plane below the plane of the surface of the sea, means for admitting sea Water to the receptacle, means for discharging sca water therefrom, means for insulating the receptacle from the heat of the ship, an indicator in the receptacle, means for insulating the indicator from the water in the receptacle but permitting the same to be affected by the temperature thereof, an alarm, a source of electricity, a circuit including the source of electricity, the indicator, and the. alarm, and manually operable means for controlling the circuit. 6. A sea water temperature annunciator comprising a receptacle carried by a ship and provided with a heat conducting partition dividing the receptacle into a watn" by the, thermometer, an insulated support proiided with contacts corresponding in number to the connectors of the thermometer, an electric circuit including a battery,

a signal, and the thermometer, and manuall y operable means in said circuit adapted for selective engagement with the contacts.

7. A sea water temperature annunciator comprising a receptacle carried by a ship and (ll\l(l6(l into a water compartment and a water-tight thermometer compartment, means for admitting sea water to the water compartment at sea water temperature, a thermometer in the thermometer compartment, a signal, means actuated by the thermometer for operating the signal, and manually operated means for controlling the signal.

8. A sea water temperature annunciator comprisin a receptacle carried by a ship and provided with a heat conducting watertight partition dividing the receptacle into a water compartment and a temperature indicator compartment, means for circulating sea water through the water compartment at sea water temperature, a temperature indicator in the indicator compartment and affected by the temperature of the water in the water compartment, signaling mechanism operated by the indicator, and controlling means for said mechanism.

9. A sea water temperature annunciator comprising'a receptacle carried by a ship and provided with a water-tight tempe"a-- ture conducting partition dividing the receptacle into a water compartment and a temperature indicator compartment, means for circulating sea water through the water compartment at sea water -temperature, a temperature indicator in the indicator com partmeut and subjected to the influence of the temperature of the water in the 'water compartment, a signal, and means actuated by the indicator for operating the signal.

In testimon whereof I atfix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

ALEXANDER McNAB,

Witnesses:

F. W. Spurn, Jr., M. T. Lonconn. 

